


Take the Dream

by h_d



Series: The Warmth of the Sun [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Banter, Cisswap, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Marriage Proposal, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-20
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-02-17 04:59:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2297438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/h_d/pseuds/h_d
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin (Emmy) and Arthur (Artie) are very happy together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take the Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Merlin Femslash Week](http://merlinfemslashweek.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, prompt eight: Happy Endings.
> 
> Also, for this series, I decided that if I was going for fluff, I should go big or go home.

Artie loved to lay her head in the space between Emmy's shoulder blades in the morning. Artie usually woke up before her; Emmy was a heavy sleeper, and Artie could cuddle her for a long time before she woke up. They were very different in many ways, but they had an important thing in common: they both hated morning sex, but loved morning cuddles.

It was almost time for both of them to get up and head to work. Emmy had a boring office job, but she didn't mind it. While Emmy had never used her sociology degree, Artie had gone on to further schooling, and was now a social worker.

It was stressful work, with long hours and few happy endings, but Artie felt she was doing genuine good. Still, she knew she was very lucky to have Emmy to come home to, Emmy who always accepted her with love.

Artie wasn't perfect. She was loud and forceful, and while it served her well in her career, it had pushed Emmy away for the first five years of their acquaintance. It had been seven years now since she had found a way into Emmy's life, and she always tried to show her gratitude with little gifts, heartfelt words, and lots of sex.

Late one night, as they spooned in bed as usual, Emmy confessed that she hadn't liked Artie very much at first.

"I didn't like the nickname. But then I realized that you gave it to me because I meant something to you," Emmy said.

"Yes," Artie replied. "That was exactly why. Also, it was because of your initials. Merlin Emrys."

"Oh," Emmy said. "I never knew that." She turned to Artie with a bright smile. "You're cute. You know I don't have a middle name? My mother looks embarrassed when I bring it up, so I don't even know why. I really think she forgot, or something. It's always so irritating to fill out forms and get errors."

"Of course I knew that," Artie said. "You complain about it often enough."

Emmy punched her lightly in the arm. Artie laughed.

"One of my teachers made up a middle name for me," Emmy said, offhandedly.

"What? You've never told me that. What was it?" Artie asked.

"Oh no, I should not have mentioned that. It's humiliating," Emmy said, burying her face in the pillow.

"Come _on_ ," Artie said, jostling her. "You can't leave me hanging like that."

"It was Arabella. Isn't that ridiculous? Can you think of a name that would suit me less than that one? It's, like, a name for a porcelain doll, or something."

Artie laughed and laughed, and Emmy looked grumpy about it until she finally broke and joined in. They laughed until they were tired out and fell asleep.

The next day, Artie called her "Merlin" when they met up for lunch. Emmy looked absolutely horrified.

"No, don't do that! I didn't mean for that to happen," Emmy said.

"But—" Artie began.

"No, I like it now, so much. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Emmy said.

Artie rolled her eyes. "You didn't, really. I know what I'm like and I'm okay with who I am," she said, shrugging. But then her eyes gleamed mischievously. "Although...I might start calling you Arabella."

"Don't you dare!" Emmy said. They laughed about it again together until it was time to go back to work.

That night, Artie undressed Emmy with care, knowing now that she disliked stripping, but loved having Artie do it for her. As Artie revealed each bit of skin, shoulders, breasts, butt, hips, she kissed them all gently, sweetly, not trying to arouse Emmy, but to show her how much Artie worshiped all of her.

"You are a bit like a porcelain doll, you know. You're beautiful. Your skin is flawless. I love how all of your dark hair looks against it. It's so stark and lovely," she said, then continued in a much quieter voice, "But you aren't fragile at all. You're the strong one, between us."

Artie was behind Emmy, draped across her back with her arms wrapped around her waist in the way she knew Emmy loved, but she could tell by the way Emmy bent her head that she was lowering her eyelashes and smiling softly to herself. Emmy accepted her compliments so readily now. Artie felt so proud that she had given Emmy that gift.

Emmy turned and kissed Artie. It had been a pleasant surprise to learn that Emmy was an exceptionally good kisser. Artie wasn't jealous of how Emmy had learned any of the skills she knew. She was just glad to love such a patient and generous woman.

The kissing turned more passionate and Emmy pushed Artie onto her back. Emmy really was a skinny woman, with very little muscle and no fat, and the force of the push delighted Artie. Artie's eyes widened.

Emmy laughed, low and sexy, at Artie's expression. Then she looked away, obviously hesitating about something. "It's...I wanted to ask you something, or tell you something. I think we should get married. You know, we can now," she said. She was absently petting Artie's tits as she spoke.

Artie felt her heart kicking, a little thrill running all through her. "I really love you, Emmy," she said. "Yes, we should. But you have to buy me a ring. I'm an old-fashioned girl, and you know I like jewelry."

"You absolute weirdo. If you are an old-fashioned girl then I am Arabella," Emmy said. They both giggled at that, and it took a few moments for them to settle down.

"You know, I played with dolls," Artie said, stroking Emmy's hip. "Barbies. I loved them. I gave them all fancy names like that, too. They would have big lavish weddings, and I didn't have a Ken doll, so they just married each other. My sister told my dad about it, and he was really pissed off. I had to hide them all and only play with them when my family was out. And if Morgana saw me, she would tell my father. Really, things were never the same with either of them after that."

"Oh Artie. I know that story, and I don't like it at all," Emmy said. Her eyes held genuine pain. "But you have a family now. You have me, and my mother too. We love being your family."

Artie felt a powerful surge of affection for her then. It wasn't a new feeling. It happened often. It was a warmth in her heart, a reflection of Emmy's intense affection. She knew she required a lot of attention, and Emmy liked to give it to her, as did Emmy's mother, Hunith.

They had dinner at Hunith's house in the suburbs every Sunday night and drove her into the city often to take her out to plays, even musicals, which Emmy liked too, although they weren't at all to Artie's tastes. Hunith had her own room in their apartment, to visit whenever she wanted, and she loved to hug Artie.

"Do you want a big wedding, then? Like you dreamed of?" Emmy said.

Artie put her hands on Emmy's ass and squeezed lightly, and Emmy responded by dropping light kisses between Artie's breasts, then taking one in each hand.

"No. It would be too expensive. I think it should be small," Artie said. "But I'm going to wear a pretty dress, maybe a tiara. What will you wear?"

Emmy cocked her head. "I hadn't thought about it. I'd like to see you in a tiara, though."

"How do you not think about your clothes at all and just effortlessly look good in everything you wear? It's not fair," Artie said, with a mock pout, which Emmy kissed away.

"Can I just wear my everyday clothes? Not my office clothes, but one of my color combinations that you like? And, ooh, my brown boots," Emmy said, against her mouth. It was so silly and so _Emmy_ ; how could Artie ever refuse her?

"Okay, that's fine," Artie said. "Now _do_ something. You are making me ache for you, Emmy. You're so sweet and so strange."

Emmy chuckled and unexpectedly twisted a nipple between her fingers, rough, and Artie shouted wordlessly. Emmy sucked the other one into her mouth and bit gently, alternately biting and sucking, while her fingers soothed the pain in Artie's other nipple. Artie wanted Emmy's tongue and fingers elsewhere, though.

"I love your tits," Emmy said. "Your dress should show off your cleavage, you know? Maybe a corset and a loose top. Everyone should see these beauties," she said, and her eyes glittered playfully. "I mean, not literally. That's just for me. I know everyone who sees us envies me when you get dressed up. You deserve it."

"I know the same thing is true, only you don't need to dress up," Artie replied easily.

Emmy did that shy, graceful look, accepting the compliment. Artie loved it so much. Emmy kissed her way down Artie's stomach, very slowly. Artie thrust her hips, using her body instead of her words to hurry Emmy up, even though Artie knew any sign of impatience would just prolong the teasing.

Emmy held down Artie's hips and licked her clit hood, gently. It was all Artie could take. She didn't like toys of any kind, because her body was very sensitive. Emmy was naturally inclined to tease, but it had become a fun game for them. It was so easy for Artie to come; she only liked to have one or two orgasms, and Emmy had grown very deliberate and inventive.

Emmy removed one hand and slid her middle finger into Artie, just breathing now, looking up at Artie with hooded eyes. Artie squeezed her finger. "It feels so nice inside you," Emmy said, moving her finger in and out. She slipped in her index finger, crooking it and stroking. Emmy's fingers were so long and thin, perfect for Artie.

They were very clever fingers, too. Artie didn't have any idea how it was possible, as her own hands often seemed large and clumsy, but Emmy circled her pinky around Artie's asshole before inserting it. When Emmy returned her tongue to her clit hood with gentle licks, that was it for Artie. She came, hard, yelling loudly, pulsing around all of Emmy's fingers as they continued to thrust and stroke.

"Oh stop, stop, it's too much," she said. Emmy complied and kissed lightly just below Artie's navel. They cuddled up and went to sleep.

Artie had work friends, they'd kept a few mutual friends from college, and they had gathered others along the way. Because they had lived together for a long time, they decided not to have a wedding shower. It felt too traditional to both of them; also, their friends were mostly struggling financially, and they didn't want to impose. Hunith, never one to interfere, was disappointed, and Artie really didn't want to let her down, so they had a small engagement party instead.

"So, who proposed to whom?" Hunith asked. She had such a kind face, just like her daughter. Kindness had never been something Artie associated with family before.

"Oh, it was Emmy," Artie said. She cocked an eyebrow and saw that Emmy was within earshot, and she raised her voice a little. "She didn't do it very well at all, though, Hunith. She just said, 'let's get married.'"

Everyone laughed, used to Artie's sense of humor, and Emmy rolled her eyes and laughed too.

Later that night, as they lay in bed, Emmy took Artie's hand and stroked the back of it, just with her fingertips. She reached into the nightstand drawer and then pressed a small box into Artie's hand. "Here. I don't, um, I don't want to slip it on your finger. I want to make sure you like it. Is that okay?"

Artie said, "Of course. You know, I was just teasing, before. I like the way we do things. But I'm glad you got me a ring. I'd like to get you something simple, too, but I know you don't like to wear jewelry."

"Okay. Let's not spend a lot of money on it, though. I'd love to wear it, but I don't know if I'll be able to get used to it."

"Maybe we can level up to something expensive," Artie said.

"Level up, huh? I really am marrying a nerd," she said, laughing so hard at her own joke that she fell over.

Artie just raised an eyebrow and asked, "How are you just figuring this out now? I chased you in a game in order to seduce you."

"Yeah, that _was_ pretty cute, but you have to admit it was very nerdy. I'm not sure how it was seductive, exactly, either. Just open the box, Artie. I'm nervous. I really don't know if you'll like it or not," Emmy said, sounding impatient.

Inside was a beautiful sapphire ring. Artie loved it right away; it was a little bit ostentatious, but not overly so. Just her style. "It's perfect, Emmy," she said, her voice wavering, overcome. "I don't know why you thought there was any possibility I wouldn't like it." She put it on and it fit. Emmy must've sneakily taken one of Artie's rings to the jeweler. Emmy was so thoughtful.

"I know you're going to mock me for this, but I got it because it matches your eyes," Emmy said.

"I won't. Okay, maybe a little. That is maybe the sappiest thing you've ever said to me, and there's been some strong competition," Artie said.

"Hey!" Emmy said, kicking at Artie's feet.

"Oh, you know I only pretend to protest. I love the things you say, and sometimes I'm worse than you," Artie said, kissing her, which turned into a round of sex that had them both yawning at work the next day.

Artie really was the bigger sap between the two of them, and she knew it. She actually showed her ring off at work like some sort of 1950s bride and basked in every "ooh" and "aah" and hearty congratulations, even the slightly inappropriate back-slapping from an elderly man. Social workers were generally free-thinking types, and Artie knew she was fortunate in that way. Emmy was not closeted, but Artie doubted any of her co-workers even knew about the wedding. _But I know she'll try out wearing a ring, just for me,_ Artie thought.

At the wedding, Artie wore a low-cut, short-sleeved shirt, along with a corset, per Emmy's suggestion, and a full but short skirt. She had found a cheap tiara in a thrift shop, and Emmy giggled every time Artie wore it. Emmy did indeed wear her red scarf and brown boots, but she paired them with a white shirt and fitted black pants.

Really, they both looked a bit like pirates, which Artie had not expected when they decided on the outfits. But Artie was very happy about it. Marrying a sexy lady pirate had actually been one of her favorite adolescent fantasies. Maybe later, in the honeymoon suite, she would wrap the scarf around Emmy's head and tie it on the side, and make her talk like a pirate while they made love. They both really liked to laugh in bed.

She smiled at the thought, standing with Emmy in front of the officiant, with all of their friends and Emmy's dear mother, the only mother Artie had ever known, beaming at them with love and pride. Artie's heart was full with the energy and happiness of the day, full of Emmy.

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhP2rsigIzI), but as before, the song has no relationship to the fic.


End file.
